Clock striking mechanism.



' no; 700,456. PatentedMay-ZO, 1902. A. TOMEK.

CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 6, 1900.)

3 Sheets$heat 1.

'(No Model.)

(Vi/7 n Witnesses avwewtoz Anton Tomek Lifi 3511 abbow No. 700,456.Patented May 20, I902.

A. TOMEK.

CLOCK STRIKING MECHANISM.

(Application flied Nov. 5, 1900.)

3 Sheets--Sheet 2.

46 Flg .9.

Wit mamas Qvwemioz Q Anton Tomek 351 attoanm s Y &1 w aa No. 700,456.Patented May 20, I902.

A. TOM-EK.

CLOCK STBIKING MECHANISM.

(Application filed Nov. 15, 190p (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

Fig.1l.

Anton Tomek ANTON TOMEK, OF ST.

CLOCK STRll (ENG PATENT OFFICE.

LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MECHANESM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 700,456, dated May 20,1902.

Application filed November 5, 1900. Serial No. 85. 2 15. (F model.)

To all w/wm it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANTON TOMEK, a citizen of the United States,residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have in-.Vented a certain new and useful Striking Mechanism for Clocks, of whichthe following is such a full, clear, and exact description as willenable any one skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, refei'ence being had to the accompanying drawings, formingpart of this specification.

My invention relates more particularly to striking mechanism for thatclass of clocks known as repeating clocks, in which the hour is repeatedat certain intervals, usually fifteen minutes, and the fractional partsof the hours are indicated upon another gong having a different tone.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction of strikingmechanism for the class of clocks above referred to, and particularly toso construct the mechanism that both the hours and the fractions ofhours are struck by the use of but one motor.

My invention consists, in part, in the combination, with a plurality ofgongs, of a motor, connections actuated by said motor for operating saidgongs, and means for automatically shifting said connections from onegong to another.

My invention also consists in various other novel features and detailsof construction, all of which are described in the followingspecification, and pointed out in the claims affixed hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of mechanismmade in accordance with my invention, Figure 1 is a front plan View.Fig. 2 is a similar View showing the parts in a different position, partof the frame being broken away and the strikingtrain being omitted. Fig.3 is a detailed View of one of the snail-wheels. Fig. ii: is a sectionon theline4= 4. of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a detailed View showing the partsfor actuating the ratchet-wheels shown in Fig. 41. Fig. 6 is a detailedView of one of the snail-wheels. Fig. 7 is a section on the line 7 '7 ofFig. 1. Fig. 8 is a view showing a detail of construction. Fig. 9 is asection on the line 9 9 of Fig. 1. Fig. 10 is enlarged detailed Viewpartly in section; and Fig. 11 is an isometric projection, on anenlarged scale, showing the front plate and some of the parts carriedthereby.

Like marks of reference refer to similar parts in the several views ofthe drawings.

15 and 16 are two plates which are arranged parallel some distance apartand which form the framing of the device. Between the plates 15 and 16at one side is arranged the strikingtrain, as shown in the drawings, andat the other side is arranged the clock-train, which, however, has beenomitted, as it forms no part of my invention.

17 is a spur-wheel which is loosely mounted on the winding-stem 18. Thewheel 17 is connected by means of a pawl 19 with a ratchetwheel 20,rigidly mounted on the stem 18. Secured to the stem 18 is one end of aspring 21, the otherend of which is secured to the frame and whichserves to drive the spur-wheel1'7. The spur-wheel 17 drives a spur-wheel22, which is provided with pins 23 for actuating the hammers forstriking the gongs. The spur-wheel 22 meshes with a lantern-wheel 2% ona shaft 25. Secured to the shaft 25 is a spur-wheel 26, which in turnmeshes with a lantern-wheel 27 on a shaft 28. The shaft 28 has rigidlymounted on it a spur-wheel 29, carrying a pin 30. The spur-wheel 29meshes with a lantern-wheel 31, which actuates a blade 32, which servesto regulate the speed of the striking-train. The parts hereinbeforedescribed are substantially the same as those used for thestriking-train of an ordinary clock.

Loosely mounted on a stud 35, carried by the plate 15, is aratchet-wheel 36, to which is rigidly mounted a snail-wheel 37. The studalso has loosely mounted upon it a ratchet-wheel 38, to which is rigidlysecured a quarter-hour snail 39. The snail-wheel 37 controls thestriking of the hours and the compound snail-wheel 39 the striking ofthe fractions of hours, as will be hereinafter described. Theratchet-wheels 3G and 38 are prevented from accidental rotation by meansof detents 40.

Pivoted on a stud r1 is a rack-bar 42, carrying on its upper end atoothed rack 43. The bar 42 is provided with an arm 44, adapted to comein contact with the snailwheel 37.

45 is a bar similar to the bar 42 and also loosely mounted on the stud41. The bar 45 is provided at its upper end with a toothed rack 40,having formed therein a notch 17. The bar 4-5 is also provided with anarm L8, adapted to come in contact with the quarterhour snail-wheel 39.The bars 42 and 45 are acted on by springs 50, which tend to throw thearms 44: and 4:2 in contact with the snailwheels 87 and 39,respectively. The upper ends of the bars 42 and 5 move in a guide 51, soas to prevent lateral movement.

52 and 53 are pawls which engage with the racks 13 and 46, respectively.These pawls 52 and 53 are pivoted on a stud 5t, carried by the plate 15.The end of the pawl 53 is somewhat longer than the pawl 52, (shown inFig. 10,) and the said pawl carries a pin 55, projecting beneath a pawlThe pawls and 53 are forced down into contact with the racks by means ofsprings 56.

Carried by the shaft is a gatheringpawl 58, provided with teeth 5.),adapted to engage with the teeth of the rack 46, and teeth (30, adaptedto engage with the teeth of the rack 4.3. The cylinder 58 is alsoprovided with arms (31, adapted to come in contact with alaterally-projecti ng portion 62, carried by the rack 43.

65 is the shaft or spindle upon which the minute-hand of the clock isrigidly secured. This shaft carries a spur-wheel (36, driven by theclock-train, which has not been shown. The shaft (55 is provided withthree arms (57, having short lateral projections, and an arm 68, havinga longlateral projection, as shown in Fig. 5. The arms 67 are adapted toengage with the ratchet-wheel 3S and move the same, while the arm 68 isadapted to engage with both the ratchet-wheel 38 and the ratchetwheel36. The shaft also carries within the frame of the device four arms 69,which engage with the end of a lever 70. The lever 70 is secured to arock-shaft 71. The rockshaft 71 is provided with an arm 72, having anupturned end adapted to engage with the pin 30 on the wheel 29, as shownin Figs 1 and E). The rock-shaft 71 is also provided with an arm 73,which projects below the pin 55, carried by the pawl 53, to raise thesame.

7% is a rock-shaft carrying an arm 75, to which is secured a hammer 76,adapted to strike a spiral gong '77. The rock-shaft H is also providedwith an arm 78 for a purpose hereinafter to be described.

79 is a rock-shaft similar to the rock-shaft 74- and provided with anarm 80, carrying a hammer 81, adapted to strike a spiral gong S2. Thesaid shaft is also provided with an arm 83, similar to the arm '78.

S is a rock-shaft which is mounted in the frames 15 and 16, so as tohave a longitudinal movement. The said shaft 84: is forced toward thefront of the device by means of a spring 85. The shaft 84 is providedwith an arm 86, adapted to be actuated by the pins 23 on the spur-wheeThe said shaft is also provided with an arm 87, which projects heneatheither the arm 78 or the arm 83 in accordance with the longitudinalmovement of the shaft 81. The front end of the shaft S t rests against adisk 88, carried by a triangular frame 89. The triangular frame 89 ispivoted at 90 to the frame of the device and is adapted to be struck bythe end of the rack t6, and so force the shaft 8-1.- to its rearposition.

The operation of my device is as follows: As the shaft- 65 is rotated bythe clock-train one of the arms 69 comes in contact with the end of thelever 70 and forces the same outwardly. This rocks the rock-shaft 71,and so lifts the pawls 52 and out of engagement with the racks t3 and46. This allows the racks to be moved by the springs until the arms atand t8 come in contact with the snailwheels 37 and 3.). This releasesthe strikingtrain owing to the movement of the projection 02 out ofcontact with the arm 61. At the same time, however, the upturned end ofthe arm 72 comes in contact with the pin 30 on the wheel 29 and preventsthe train from being put in motion until the parts have had sufficienttime to gain the proper positions. As soon as the shaft (35 has movedsufficiently to move the arm (39 out of contact with the lever 70 thesame falls to its normal position, thus releasing the striking-train andat the same time dropping the pawl into engagement with the rack 46. Thepin 55, however, holds the rack 52 out of engagement with the rack 13.As the striking-train moves the shaft 25 will be rotated, thus causingthe teeth 50 of the gathering-pawl 58 to feed the rack +16 back towardits normal position. W'hile this is taking place, the rock-shaft 8-]:will be forced to its forward position, as shown in Fig. 9, by thespring 85, so that the arm 87 will act upon the arm 83, thus causing thehammer 81 to strike the gong 82. As soon as the rack 4-6 has reached thelimit of its move ment its contact with the triangular frame 89 willforce the shaft S-l to its rear position, thus driving the arm 87 underthe arm 78, so as to actuate the hammer '76 to strike the gong 77. Atthe same time the pawl 53 will fall into the notch at? in the rack 46,thus allowing the pawl 52 to come into engagement with the rack 43. Therack 43 will now be fed toward its normal position by means of the teeth(30 on the cylinder As soon as the rack e3 has reached its normalposition the arm 61 will come in contact with its projecting portion 62,and thus lock the striking train. As the shaft is rotated the arms (37will feed only the snail-wheel 35 during threefourths of a revolution,thus causing the same hour to be repeated, but changing the strokes forthe fractional parts of the hour. W'hen,

however, a complete revolution has been made, the arm (38 will feedforward both the snail-wheels, thus changing the hour.

1 wish it understood that wherein the claims I refer to a gong I do notintend to limit my- ITO self to what is usually termeda gong, but intendto cover also a bell or any other device suitable for giving an audiblesignal.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. In a striking mechanism for clocks, a gong for sounding the hours, agong for sounding quarter-hours, a motor, operating connections betweensaid motor and gongs, an hourcontrolling mechanism, a separate andindependently-movable quarter-honr-controlling mechanism, means foractuating both said controlling mechanisms during each quarterhour, andmeans actuated by the movement of one of said controlling mechanisms forshifting said operating connections from one gong to the other.

2. In a striking mechanism for clocks, a gong forsounding the hours, agong for sounding quarter-hours, a controlling device for each of saidgongs, a quarter-hour snail-wheel for one of said controlling devices,an hour snail-wheelforthe other of said controlling devices, saidsnail-wheels being independently pivoted on a common axis, and anactuating device provided with three arms for actuating saidquarter-hoursnail-wheel and one arm for actuating both snail-wheels.

8. In a striking mechanism for clocks, a gong for sounding the hou rs,agong for sounding fractions of hours, a motor, operating connectionsbetween said motorand gongs, apair of controlling-racks for said gongs,a pair of independently-movable deten ts forsaid racks, means forsimultaneously disengaging said detents from said racks, means forindependently returning said racks, and means for automatically shiftingsaid operating connection from one gong to the other after the return ofthe first rack.

4. In a striking mechanism for clocks, a gong for sounding thehours, agong for sounding fractions of hours, a motor, operating connectionsbetween said motor and gongs, a pair of controlling-racks for saidgongs, a pair of independently-movable detents for said racks, a pincarried by one of said detents and extending beneath the other, meansfor moving said pin and thereby simultaneously disengaging said detentsfrom said racks, means for independently returning said racks, and meansfor automatically shifting said operating connections from one of saidgongs to the other after the return of the first rack.

5. In a striking mechanism for clocks, a gong for sounding hours, a gongfor sounding quarter-hours, a motor, operating connections between saidmotor and gongs, a pair of controlling-racks for said gongs, a pair ofindependently-movable detents for said racks, means forsimultaneouslydisengaging said detents from said racks, means forindependently returning said racks, and means actuated by the return ofthefirst of said racks for shifting said operating connections from oneof said gongs to the other.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed myseal inthe presence of the two subscribing witnesses.

ANTON TOMEK. [L. 8.] .Vitn esses:

A. C. FOWLER, JAMES H. BRYSON.

